In the uber-competitive luxury handbag market, which is dominated by well-funded couture houses like Gucci and Chanel, soft-spoken Colombian native Nancy Gonzalez has flourished by celebrating the color and craftsmanship of her native country.

Known for pieces that are vibrantly hued and texturally varied, Gonzalez pays homage to her homeland by having her line produced locally by skilled artisans. She employs a staff composed almost solely of women, and offers their children free day care.

Raising two children has helped foster her nurturing nature. A mom of two, Gonzalez and her son Santiago recently launched a men's line, growing their family brand.

This inspiring juxtaposition of quality and compassion embodies her success. “I love the challenge of finding a new way to work the skin over a handle or playing with mixed textures,” says Gonzalez. And she loves to evoke emotion through her work. “I incorporate elements to each piece that make us smile: a color, a texture, a detail, a surprise.”

Her website, surprisingly, is divided into “Values” that tout her company’s principals. Alongside the expected virtues of “Elegance” and “Style” are “Magic,” “Wonder,” “Freedom” and “Dignity.”

Gonzalez is a leader in her work, home and country, but this great dame does have one semi-flaw: indecision. When asked recently to pick her favorite bag, from the more than 150 styles and 200 colors she’s designed, she refused. “I can’t do it,” she said. “It would be like picking a favorite child.”

Photo: Getty Images

Sisters Kate and Laura Mulleavy of the fashion label Rodarte are unqualifiedly successful. They sell their edgy-ethereal frocks at high-end retailers such as Barneys and Bergdorf Goodman; they count Michelle Obama as a fan; they designed the killer ballet costumes for the Oscar-nominated Black Swan; and they currently have an exhibition of their work on display at The Museum of Contemporary Art in Los Angeles. Oh yeah, and they still live at home with their parents.

The sisters launched their fashion line in 2005, working at their parents’ dining room table with 10 hand-finished pieces that won them the prestigious Ecco Domani Fashion Foundation award and launched them quickly into the world of buyers, fashion shows and Vogue.

Throughout their storybook success, they have remained grounded, and they owe that to their bohemian parents, William and Victoria. William is a former botanist who now runs their accounting. Victoria, whose family emigrated from Mexico, was an artist who made Navajo weavings and taught the sisters to sew. In fact, the label’s name, Rodarte, is named after their mama’s maiden name.

The sisters’ closeness is famous: They share an email account, used to share a cell phone, drive to work together and order the same coffee: three espresso shots over ice.

While their inseparability might seem odd to many, it is their inherent sense of love for family that is their greatest inspiration and that keeps them grounded in the whimsical world of fashion.

September 11, 2001 should have been the best day of Melissa Fox’s life. After working as a film exec in Hollywood for eight years, she quit her job and was on her way back home to NYC in the hopes of finding something more fulfilling.

Despite being deplaned and heartbroken over the tragedy of 9/11, Fox still forged ahead with her plans to move and did what every woman in her family had done in times of trouble: she cooked. “Everything was a mess, so planning meals and procuring ingredients became a form of therapy.” Fox started throwing weekly dinner parties. “Eventually, friends would call, inquiring about a dish I made, and I offered to make it for them. That’s how my catering began.”

Fox grew up with a Nicaraguan-born mom and an all-American dad from Omaha, and her catering menu reflected her bicultural upbringing. Her empanadas came baked, not fried; were filled with unusual ingredients, like smoked Gouda and portabella mushrooms; and topped with her own homemade picante and chipotle mayonnaise.

When she opened A Casa Fox, her Latin fusion restaurant in New York City, Fox honored her family for instilling in her their love of food and togetherness. Pictures of the volcano in Managua adorn the walls of A Casa Fox, as do photos of her mom, grandma and aunts, many of whom still live in Nicaragua.

At the restaurant, Fox’s mom often works the crowd, “letting everyone know she’s the mom of the owner,” says a smiling Fox. “What can I say? My family is proud of me.”

Photo: @iStockphoto.com/jtyler

The Billboard Latin Music Awards, airing on April 28, is one of the most hotly anticipated galas to celebrate the fantastic variety of Latin music. This mega-networking event for industry artists charts blockbuster performances of diverse Latino artists throughout the world. This year, the winners will introduce new players in the market, and showcase familiar names that continue to inspire around the world.

Leading the nominations are mainstays such as Enrique Iglesias (14 slots) and Shakira (13 slots). Meanwhile, Lady Gaga and Rihanna got a nod for the Crossover Artist of the Year category, once again proving Latinos’ love for pop-dance music. Here, some lesser-known names to add to your playlist:

Venezuelan reggaetón duo Chino y Nacho are nominated for nine awards, including Best Album of the Year. It’s no surprise that their sonic blend of reggaetón, merengue and salsa tunes are getting massive international airplay.

With the release of his eponymously titled album, Prince Royce steamed up dance floors with his debut this year. He’s nominated for six awards for his soulful urban bachata, including Male Artist of the Year.

L.A. quintet Voz de Mando may be relatively unknown, but their Mexican knowledge runs deep. So deep, in fact, that they’ve been touring around the country. They are now nominated for the new Latin Artist of the Year award.

Up for a solo Regional Mexican Airplay Artist of the Year award is singer-songwriter Espinoza Paz, an exciting newcomer whose tales of heartbreak earned him an impressive track of album sales and digital downloads. He’s nominated for eight awards, including Hot Latin Songs Artist of the Year.

Photo: Getty Images

I first heard Shakira Mebarak’s voice in 1998, when a friend recommended I check out the record of this “bizarre chick” from Colombia. I listened, and even though I wasn’t sure if I was hearing Arabic, Spanish, rock or folk music, I was hooked. The more I’ve learned about her over the years, the more I’ve learned why her unique spirit is so infectious.

Shakira Mebarak was born in Barranquilla, Colombia, yet she speaks five languages and has Lebanese roots. She recorded her first album, Magia, at the age of 13, yet the nuns at her school told her she had the “voice of a goat.” And just after Pies Descalzos -- the album I loved -- was released, she started her own foundation to open new schools for poor children in Colombia, even though her career started to take off at a stratospheric pace. It was clear that Shakira had her own message and sound to share with the world.

In 2001, her English-language album Laundry Service debuted at No. 3 on the charts and went on to sell 20 million copies since.

Over the years, she hasn’t just relied on her hip-shaking moves: An astute businesswoman and philanthropist, she has launched her own perfume and has fought for access to clean water and education around the world. For me, she’s a role model to last through the ages. So in time for Earth Day, let’s say it all together: Viva la Shakira!